The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro lets a small Windows 10 PC be used on an iPhone or iPad

By John Callaham
published

A few months ago, InFocus launched the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop, a $99 Windows 10 PC in a tiny form factor. Now inFocus has launched the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro, a $199 version of the same PC that has more connection ports for use on a variety of devices, including Apple's iPhone and iPad.

InFocus says:

The Windows 10 Home Kangaroo Pro revolutionizes the PC market by taking the original Windows 10 Kangaroo Mobile Desktop PC and adding expanded features and connectivity to unlock a variety of new uses, making it unique from any other PC on the market. Kangaroo Pro features the new Dock Pro with VGA, HDMI and Ethernet connectivity as well as one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, a 2.5 inch hard drive bay and an audio port, expanding the applications for this powerful, ultra-portable PC.

The connection of the PC to an iPhone and iPad is with the assistance of an optional iOS app:

OSLinx is the unique Kangaroo application that allows users to have their Win10 Kangaroo on their iPads. Today, a new full IOS version, which now includes iPhone functionality, of the OSLinx app is available on the Apple app store for $4.99 USD. The app update allows users to fully interact with their Kangaroo Windows 10 desktop via the touch interface of iPhones (4s, 5/5s, 6/6s, & 6 Plus/6s Plus) with iOS8 and above. An updated iPad version (free) is also available today to support screen resolutions of 1025x768 and iPad Pro 1400x1050. The updated version of OSLinx is available for download by all current Kangaroo users.

The Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Pro is currently available from Amazon and will soon be sold by Microsoft Stores and other retail outlets.

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John Callaham
John Callaham
51 Comments
  • Love the idea of modular computers and components. Neat time we're living in.
  • Windows 10, now running on PC, XBOX One, Hololens, Mobile and now... iPad/iPhone?! This is crazy cool and it is exactly the type of interoperability I'd like to see from the likes of Apple/Google do.
  • Purchased it day before.... waiting for arrival!
  • Innovation Baby... Makay Chapulets | MTN CCR
    Posted from my Lumia 640XL running Windows 10.
  • So it makes an iPad a monitor?
  • A touch monitor!
  • Also It uses your iPad as a touch monitor so you can run Windows 10 touch apps using your iPad
  • Kind of an expensive 10" touch monitor solution.
  • Not for someone who already owns an iPad.
  • So it really makes an iPad a Pro Device worth of something!
  • This is my vision of Continuum in the future, with Windows 10 desktop this tiny Kangaroo PC could be ready in 1 of 2 years by also having phone display and support mobile apps.  Of course technology is not there yet, but this is definitely the future of hybrid mobile/desktop computing
  • Look. Its soooo funny that what should have been a feature of windows gets released to iOS first. If anyone wants a x86 phone, buy an iPhone and this Kangaroo! BOOM instant SURFACE PHONE!
  • Umm.. the Kangaroo is a seperate computer. It's just using the IOS device as a monitor. 
  • Don't be pedantic. Not with people dreaming of a surface phone that docks into an intel dock and all that ****. This is practically the same thing as that.
  • No, this isn't the same thing. This is just using your phone as a monitor for another computer. People who want the x86 Surface Phone want the phone itself to be computer that they can plug into any screen and be running everything FROM the phone. Why would they make this a feature of W10 Mobile, stock, when they're working on making the phone itself a computer? Besides, this is a third party app for an OS by a third party company. 
  • Lol. Yes it is, evwn if the phone is just a monitor, the fact remains that its a full pc in the form factor of a phone. Its as near as makea no difference. Anyone who wants to have an idea of how an x86 phone is supposed to behave woth win32 apps can take this for a spin.
  • Sorry lots of typos. I wrote this on my phone.
  • You just need a Kangaroo mini PC so you can type better from your phone! /s
  • @Dick Someone is looking stupid here?! Think again. Please.
  • Lol. You're the idiot. Read between the lines. I'll spell it out for you. What I really wanted to say was: THIS IS YET ANOTHER THING THAT THE IPHONE IS CAPABLE OF THAT WINDOWS MOBILE IS NOT.
  • You are completely and totally missing what this device does. The idea of a surface phone and continuum is for the computer part to be in the phone. This is a portable computer, for which you just so happen to be able to use an iPad or iPhone as the monitor for. A surface phone wouldn't need this, as it would already be running windows 10. A few people have pointed out that you're not getting this. Just take our word for it if you still think we're wrong as you're coming across like a right tool.
  • Yes, I do get it. You are taking my statement of "BOOM SURFACE PHONE" at face value. Obviously it isn't. But if anyone wanted to know what it was like to run full Windows 10 on a phone, this is the way to do it. And no, a remote connection does not cut it, because there would be lag. And yes it isn't perfect cause you'd have a brick sticking out of your phone, nevertheless, you get a feel for what it does.
  • Don't be daft. I know it's advertised as "portable", but I can't imagine you'd want this attached to your device as you walk along the street. IPad/iphone are potential monitors for this computer. You're putting way too much stock in that. What you're saying is really still just coming across as you not really understanding what this is. It really has little to nothing to do with Apple, or any of it's devices. After all, a mac's monitor could have the same link to Windows 10 as the iPad can with this device...that doesn't mean it's to the detriment of MS. The iPad, in this case, obviously isn't running windows 10. If you want to use another monitor, feel free.
  • Yes, you are being daft if you have that thing dangling from your phone on the street and yes this has nothing to do with apple unless you hackintosh the thing. And yes, its just a monitor for the Kangaroo. No one denies that. And even I think that an x86 phone is a bad idea (doing what I described here would immediately demonstrate your folly) But why oh why can't this be done on say a windows 10 mobile smartphone??? Thats something you missed (among many) in your pedantry.
  • Because my smartphone is already running windows 10, and is only set to get closer to it's desktop counterpart. Again, your comment seems to suggest this thing only works for iPad or iPhone, and seemingly taking it as an attack on MS that it doesn't appear to do the same thing on windows 10 mobile devices. I've not actually checked that it doesn't, but either way, I see no need for your hostile comments about what is at the end of the day, a good news story.
  • Yes this functionality has been present in Windows devices for ages, its called Remote Desktop Connection, you can do vice-versa now with Connect App also with the new build
  • You cannot use the Connect App to beam your desktop to your phone. A remote desktop is close, but it will be laggy and slow. If you want to get a feel for an x86 phone, this is the way to do it (just ignore the brick dangling from the phone).
  • A remote desktop is not laggy and slow at all, it may depend on your slow WiFi then, but I have used it and it does not lagg, in fact, it's using the whole 16Gb RAM & Core i7 from my laptop, so it's really fast, maybe not faster than the laptop itself, but faster than the phone definetly yes.
  • So the iPhone is capable of acting as a monitor for a PC. Is that a real big deal? It certainly is interesting, and I'm wondering what is needed on the Kangaroo to support this. I expect it is more than that OSLinx app. I wonder if I download it can I hook my iPad to any current Windows PC? Hmm, have to go try that. Would make a nice second screen for my Surface maybe. Would be a really nifty thing for Win 10 Mobile to support. Not sure I would bring something like NexDock with my Lumia, since my Surface is lighter than NexDock. But I might bring an iPad, take advantage of the app options, and be able to use it as a continuum monitor. Hmm.
  • The thing is, iOS devices are so limmited that with a mini PC you finally get them to do much more! So yes, it's an iOS device becoming a terminal PC! Excelent for Windows as a Universal Windows! That's the best part of it, W10M & W10 are the same and this makes it be in more and more devices!
  • Except it still uses iOS to run the mobile apps that don't run on Windows 10. App gap problem is still under "coming soon" for Redstone 2017 release, thats why I switched to Android on my smartphone. I'll be back on 2017/2018 to Windows Mobile when app gap issue is finally solved.
  • This is literally what you do with Continuum and the Remote PC app. In other words, Windows Mobile already does this, it just requires a phone that supports Continuum.
  • The connect app doesn't work backwards. You can't beam the PC to the phone. This one does. And its a wired connection. I'd always pick a wired connection over a wifi connection or bluetooth. Its bulky though.
  • The connect app doesn't work backwards. You can't beam the PC to the phone. This one does. And its a wired connection. I'd always pick a wired connection over a wifi connection or bluetooth. Its bulky though.
  • It's not that hard to launch Remote Desktop and log into it -provided you have the right version of Windows- from any phone
  • Finally! A way to make an iPad useful.
  • Now we finally could call it a 'Pro' device!
  • Cool so a real iPad Pro then! Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • People who use this for the iPad might as well have just gotten a Surface :)
  • Does it work only with the iPad and iPhone?
  • It is only using the iDevice to be screen/touchscreen via their app. Otherwise, you just connect peripherals to it like any other PC Stick.
  • There's always the possibility to log into it via Remote Desktop or TeamViewer, since is a PC, with any Android, iOS or Windows device.
  • Not like you couldn't do this before from any PC with Remote Desktop or third party solutions like Splashtop (available for Windows, Android, and iOS). Posted from Windows Central for Windows 10
  • Does Splastop need you to go through their servers like TeamViewer? If so, you'd need internet access for both devices. The advantage of the Kangaroo is that you can directly connect to it with the app, so even if there's no network availability, you can still run it. There are workarounds of course, but not everyone knows how to work it, so something simple like this will serve a lot of non-power users.
  • That's why iOS users need the app ;)
  • I want the dock only. I already bought the kangaroo. (in canada)
  • Seconded. I have the Kangaroo and a USB 3.0 ethernet + hub adapter, but I'd really prefer to just buy this dock instead. What's the point of having a modular system like this if you don't sell the modules separately?
  • Bought it when it was first released and replaced win 10 home with pro and use it as an HTPC. It really performs well. I have been very impressed with it. I would recommend the Kangaroo to anyone that needs a small well performing quiet pc. It really is the perfect HTPC. It was originally reported that it won't output DTS-HD but it does with LAV filters and MPC-HC. Great machine.
  • There'll be no stopping the Windows 10 juggernaut folks!
  • It seems like it's a "pro-sumer" type device with niche appeal (although I'm one of those who probably will buy it). It addresses the real weakness of not having a real PC experience on an iPad, but I'm not sure many consumers still need it. I remember a time in which only business users took laptops when they travelled, then regular consumers started doing it, then tablets took over.
  • The original Kangaroo is still unavailable in India. Apart from the small form factor and modular expansion, my 80 dollar Indian brand Win Tablet works just as good when attached to a TFT. In fact, with a 128 GB mem card, it's my main work PC now !